ISLAMABAD: An accountability Court in Islamabad on Tuesday extended physical remand of former Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Chairman Tauqir Sadiq for 10 more days in OGRA corruption case for ten days.
During the proceedings on Tuesday‚ the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), asked for the extension as it needed more time to investigate the accused.
The court directed that Tauqir Sadiq should again be produced before it on 2nd of next month.
The OGRA ex-chairman had earlier challenged his conviction and three-year sentence in Islamabad High Court (IHC) on July 20.
In his petition, filed through his counsel Sardar Asmatullah Advocate, Sadiq had said that the accountability court did not give him the chance to defend the allegations levelled against him.
Sadiq is accused of misusing authority, embezzling funds and causing Rs82 billion (approximately $850 million) losses to the national exchequer by converting operating income (regular income) into non-operating income in violation of an agreement signed with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, relocating several CNG stations, making illegal appointments, etc.
He fled abroad soon after the Supreme Court declared his appointment as OGRA chief illegal on Nov 25, 2012, and ordered NAB to arrest him.
Sadiq managed to leave the country although his name was on the exit control list.
Two former prime ministers — Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf — have been accused of being involved in the ‘illegal’ appointment of Sadiq.
